


Deep Dish Discount

by LtReginaBarclay



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: BEST. DAY. EVER., Deep Dish Nine, Family, Gen, Space Teens, babies. LOTS OF BABIES, plus Sisko, you know what that means
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-12
Updated: 2014-08-12
Packaged: 2018-02-12 21:00:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2124549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LtReginaBarclay/pseuds/LtReginaBarclay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben Sisko offers a special at Deep Dish Nine in honour of an ancient Bajoran holiday celebrating children. He claims pure altruism, but Jadzia is convinced there are other reasons.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deep Dish Discount

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thanks to awanderingmuse for the beta read! She was so dedicated she did it while so tired she misspelled my name. Twice. And yet was able to give excellent corrections and commentary!

Putting the last piece of tape in place, Ben Sisko stepped outside the pizzeria to admire his handiwork. He was clearly satisfied, as he was whistling on his way back into the kitchen to check on his pizzas. Kira had been watching from the counter, and spied a new figure at the window pausing to read the new poster.

“You’re late for your shift Dax!” she hollered at the ponytailed woman walking in through the ringing door.

“Sorry Kira! I got a little distracted on the way over.” Jadzia explained as she pinned her nametag to her uniform. “What’s up with the weekend promotion?” she added, thumb pointing back at the front window.

The red head’s nose wrinkled as she frowned, “Promotion? What promotion?”

“The one on the poster? Half off pizza Saturday if you eat in with your children.”

“Mr. Sisko hasn’t said anything about it.”

“Huh. Benjamin!” Jadzia called into the back. “What’s this about babies and cheap pizza? You know they can’t actually eat it right?”

He emerged from the back with two boxed pizzas. “You’re here, great! Julian! Out front please.”

They heard the dough mixer turning off in the back, and Julian appeared covered in flour.

“This Saturday is an old Bajoran spring holiday celebrating families and the young. Deep Dish Nine will be honouring the day by holding a special for parents who come in with their babies and toddlers—fifty percent off all pizzas. I’m expecting a big turn out, so I’ll need everyone here. That doesn’t conflict with your studies Julian?”

“No, sir, not at all. I’ll be here.”

“Good. And Jadzia we’ll need Ezri and Worf in as well if they’re available.” Sisko added.

“I’ll make sure they’re free.” She assured him.

“Excellent! Back to your jobs everyone.”

Jadzia followed Kira back to the counter. “So what else is traditional for the holiday, do we decorate?”

Kira looked thoughtfully at the poster, “Actually, when he said it was old he was understating the case. It’s practically archaic. I don’t know anyone who celebrates it, there’s not even a special service at the temples anymore.”

“That’s odd, I wonder how he came across it.”

Kira shrugged, “There are references to it in any Bajoran history book. Or maybe Jake learned about it at school.”

“I suppose so…” Jadzia mused.

* * *

 

“So what made you decide to celebrate this holiday Benjamin? Kira told me none of the Bajorans here do.” Jadzia inquired as she wiped down the tables at closing time.

“It’s an old festival, but I think it’s an important one. Being a parent isn’t easy you know. And I want to give back to the community that’s welcomed us here.”

She narrowed her eyes, “But why the stipulation that they eat in? Can’t they present the kid for proof and leave?”

“In truth they are free to take it home, but I want to make sure they understand they are welcome to eat here. It’s hard having a baby, you feel like you shouldn’t stay at restaurants in case they start to fuss. I want a day where they feel totally at ease bringing in their kids and eating in public.”

It was very logical reasoning, nearly Vulcan in its thoroughness. Jadzia moved on to the next table, still convinced there was something more to this special than Benjamin was letting on.

_Well, I suppose we’ll find out Saturday._

* * *

 

“Mr. Sisko!” the nasal voice of Quark cut through the morning opening rituals of Deep Dish Nine.

“What do you want Quark?” Kira demanded.

“To talk to Ben Sisko about this Saturday celebration of children. I will NOT have hordes of snivelling brats running around my establishment!”

“In case you can’t read Quark, it’s a Deep Dish Nine special. It has nothing to do with your bar. Children aren’t allowed anywhere near your door.”

“I’m right next to you. They’ll be running all over the sidewalk and scaring away customers! I have a saying: ‘Babies are bad for business.’”

“Well I’m afraid you’re going to have to put up with it for an afternoon Quark. I suppose you’ll just have to cheat your customers double on Sunday to make up for your loss in profits.”

“You really do lack people skills Nerys. I don’t know what Sisko was thinking when he made you manager.”

“You little troll…” She fumed. “You’ve made your point, I’ll make sure to pass it along. Now I suggest you get back to your own restaurant before I remove you from this one.”

“Alright, alright.” He put his wrists together in a show of appeasement. “I’m leaving! Just keep the babies from drooling on my welcome mat.”

* * *

 

Saturday dawned with the entire crew of Deep Dish Nine gathered at the front counter. All looking their best, with name tags straight and hats on—it even appeared as if Garak had pressed the usually rumpled Julian’s uniform. Sisko was beaming and bounding in energy during his morning pep talk, a level of excitement Jadzia had only ever witnessed from him at baseball games.

“So Kira and Ezri will be on counter duty, Julian on clean up, and Jadzia—you and Worf will be in the kitchen.”

“The kitchen?” Jadzia asked in disbelief. She was never on kitchen duty if Worf and Ben were both there to cook.

“The kitchen. I’ll be in the front with the crowds. Let’s start prepping everyone!” He left for the back, and was already slicing peppers with enthusiasm when Jadzia and Worf joined him. Dax grabbed a bag of flour to start on the dough, while Worf joined Sisko at the counter to slice the pepperoni. They sliced, diced, and mixed together until nine o’clock sharp, when Sisko threw off his apron and went to open the doors.

Jadzia could hear his voice welcoming customers, but little else from the back. She tried concentrating on the orders coming in from the front as a method of restraining her curiosity, but her resolve failed and she found herself telling Worf she’d be back in a minute.

She edged out from the back, and found the restaurant more crowded then she’d ever seen it on a Saturday this early in the day. The tables were all full with parents, children, and babies in the high chairs Deep Dish Nine had had to borrow from restaurants all over town. Large families, single parents with a baby… she even saw Miles and Keiko laughing together at a booth in the corner with Molly and Kirayoshi.

And Benjamin… he was walking between tables, chatting with customers yes but also, so far as she could tell, attempting to interact with every child who came through the doors. His deep, occasionally gruff voice was light and raised in pitch by an octave as he cooed at the baby he was bouncing in the air. As she watched she saw him moving through the tables telling jokes to the older children, and playing peek-a-boo with the smaller ones. When he came to the youngest infants, his expression was one of pure delight as he cradled them in his arms.

The sound level was certainly louder than usual, but Quark needn’t have worried about upset children dampening the mood outside his bar. There was laughter from all the tables, and the shrieks were of delight.

“Dax!” Kira’s voice startled the grin off her face. “You’re supposed to be making pizzas what are you doing?!”

“Just uh, taking a quick break! The heat was getting to me?”

“Well we’re overwhelmed with orders. Turn the fan on and get back there. Worf is on his own!”

“Yes ma’am!” she saluted and took the new orders back to the kitchen.

The restaurant remained busy the entire day, and Jadzia was fairly sure she’d never made so many pizzas in her life. At dinner, she leaned against the counter with her own slice as there wasn’t an empty table to sit at. The novelty of so many children and infants still hadn’t worn off for Benjamin, and he had one in his arms when the bell above the door tinkled. Jake walked in with Alexander and Nog, Ziyal holding the door for Lal behind them.

“Jake-o!” Benjamin handed the baby he had back to its mother, and with a last pat on the head turned to his son. He caught him in a bear hug and kissed him on the head.

“Daaad!” Jake’s protest somewhat muffled by his father’s shoulder.

“Sorry, it’s just good to see you!” he wrapped Jake in a side-hug and turned to his friends. “Dinner for you all? I’m sure I can find a table for friends of Jake!”

Ziyal and Lal avoided each other’s eyes as they unsuccessfully repressed their giggles. Alexander followed Mr. Sisko to a booth rather confused by unusual atmosphere, and narrowly avoided tripping over a stroller. Jake met Nog’s eyes as they approached the table and knew he was in for it later. He groaned and put his head in his hands while the others scooted into the seats around him and Lal locked the wheels on her wheelchair.

Jadzia wandered over to take their orders, poking Jake who raised his head up with a pained expression on his face.

“You let him have a special day for _children_ here?”

Jadzia grinned, “I had no idea he liked them so much.”

“He’s going to be emotional for _weeks_ after this. He’ll get out my baby albums, talk about how small I was and what foods I ate, or that time I…” Jake put his head back on his hands. “Two slices of pepperoni pizza please.”

“Right-o Jake-o! The rest of you?”

Jake slumped further down into his seat, his moan barely audible over his friend’s good-natured laughs.

“I hate this holiday…” Jadzia heard him mumble as the rest of his friends ordered.


End file.
